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How to Explain Aurora Borealis to a Child

The Aurora Borealis are like giant series of curtains hanging and waving in the sky. They could stretch from horizon to horizon and shift through various soft greenish, bluish colors. These light displays look better through the naked eyes. Enjoy watching the Aurora Borealis with your children while explaining what causes this beautiful array of lights.

Instructions

- 1
  Explain that the Earth is like a magnet, and that it has a strong magnetic field around it. Share with your child that the sun sends out a solar wind and this wind differs from the winds that he feels. This wind is made up of light particles which blow toward the earth.
- 2
  Tell the child that as the solar wind hits the Earth's magnetic field, some if it is sent into the Earth's atmosphere. Describe the atmosphere as a large ocean of air covering the entire Earth and when the light particles spill into this "ocean" the particles collide with gases in the atmosphere causing the particles to glow, which produces the lights they see in shades of red, green, blue and violet.
- 3
  Inform the child that she can view the Aurora Borealis in the Northern parts of North America, Europe and Asia. Sometimes people in the far northern states can also see the Aurora Borealis. Share with them these lights are also know as the Northern Lights.
- 4
  Clarify the meaning of Aurora Borealis. "Aurora" means "down," and "Borealis" means "north wind."

Astronomy